Machine for forming butter patties.



No. 317,35?JIA PATENTED APR. 1o, 1906.

G; A. WALSTEAD. MACHNB FOR FORMING BUTTER PATTIES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1903.

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MACHINE FOR FONIING BUTTER PATTIES..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No. 174,708.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv A. WALSTEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Forming Butter Patties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for forming small disks, squares, or so-called prints of butter for individual butterplates, and has for its general object arapidlyoperable device of compact, portable, and convenient design adapted to work the bulk butter into patties in a neat, cleanly, and sanitary manner and which shall be as well adapted for producing` a few as a large number of prints to meet the demands during rush hours at restaurants, hotels, and public eating places in general.

I have furthermore and particularly in view a machine for producing patties or prints of uniform and symmetrical configuration, and hence sightly appearance.

Other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from a perusal of the following description of the several elements of my in vention.

It has been found that butter is more or less compressible and possesses a certain de gree of elasticity under pressure, expanding to the original volume when pressure is relieved. To this fact is due the consequence that butter, unlike some other and similar viscous semifluids, when subjected to pressure in an apertured vessel will not, upon being forced through said aperture, retain the original shape determined by the edges thereof, but will expand in directions determined by lines of force which vary according to the shape of the vessel, the location of the aperture or apertures, and the points of application of the pressure. Where the aperture comprises a hole or bore of uniform diameter or lateral dimensions through the casing of the retaining vessel, it has been found impossible to secure from said aperture a protuberance of butter 'of uniform configuraton corresponding to the shape of said aperture, due to the abovementioned elastic and expansible qualities of this material under compression.

The essence of my invention, therefore, resides'in the novel means employed, in connection with a compressing-chamber having forming-apertures for insuring uniformity of diameter or other lateral dimensions of the butter forced through said apertures.

My invention further consists generally in novel means for intermittently subjecting to pressure a mass of butter in an apertured retaining vessel, separating the smaller mass which protrudes through the aperture from the remainder, and interdependently timing the above operations.

My invention further consists in the novel form of intermittent compressing means, in novel means for o erating and timing the cutter, in the nove cordination and cop eration of working elements whereby economy of power is effected and multiplicity of parts obviated, and in the various details of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a partially-sectional elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2

illustrates the driving-shaft and the recipro eating pawl mechanism by means of which the plunger is forced forward step by step. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating one of the several possible forms of bottorn-mold apertures. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the apertured bottom, and Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the form of aperture.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 2 refers to the frame of the machine, comprising an apertured top plate 3 and a bottom ring 4, held together by means of rods 5, preferably three in number and secured to said plate and ring in any suitable manner. Preferably integral bearing-lugs 6 project upwardly from the top plate and are suitably apertured for the shaft 7, bearing the crank S and the cam-wheel 9. Intermediate of its ends the shaft 7 is provided with an eccentric 10, upon which is mounted the reciprocating pawl 11, having a point 12, which engages suitable notches or annular grooves 13 in the lunger-rod 14. The latter carries on its fbwer end a disk 15, fitting the interior of the preferably cylindrical vessel 16. Said vessel is provided with a comparatively thick bottom 17, several forms of which are illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. A rod or shaft 18, mounted in suitable apertures in the upper and lower portions of the frame, operates the cutter and carries at its upper end a crank-arm IOO IOS

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engaging the groove 21 of the cam 9.

or web 19 and a wrist-pin 20, said wrist-piln T e lower end of the rod 1S is bent twice at right angles and the Erst or horizontal bend being curved, as shown. A cutting-Wire 24 is stretched from the end 23 of the rod to the opposite vertical portion, and a set-screw 25 binds the rod 18 and upper crank-arm together. I have provided an ordinary clamp 26, so that my machine may be removably mounted upon the edge of a table or bench.

The reciprocating pawl 11 is provided with a forked or jaw portion 27, which forms the bearing upon the crank portion 10 of the shaft 7, and a split key 23 holds the pawl in place. As shown, the upper member of the jaw 27 is extended and constitutes a gravity lever, upon the end of which is a Weight 29, which tends to keep the lower point 12 of the pawl in contact with the plunger-rod 14 and also provides means for tilting the point 12 out of the way when said rod is inserted. A suitable spring or other convenient device may also be used for this purpose, if desired. The cam 9 consists substantially of an ovatewheel grooved in its periphery. About half of said wheel is bent outwardly at an obtuse angle from the shaft 7 sufficiently to give the desired reciprocating throw to the wrist-pin when said cam-wheel is rotated. The portion of the cam-wheel which occupies the usual position with relation to the shaft provides for the periods of rest while pressure is being applied, and an intermittent rectilinear reciprocating motion is thus imparted to the cutter 24 beneath the bottom or patty-molding portion of the vessel.

Each of the grooves 13 in the plunger-rod 14 represents the thickness of a butter patty or print, and each rotation of the crank 8 actuates the pawl 11 to force said rod downwardly one notch and to simultaneously cause the cuttingewire 24 to complete vone oscillation across the face of the bottom 17, and thus cut off the molded butter forms forced through the aperture or apertures. The

crank-rod 18 being curved away from the vertical plane occupied by the cutter-wire 24 permits the severed butter patties to drop freely into any vessel provided to receive them.

It is obvious that the mass of butter under pressure of the disk 15, which pressure is equal at all points under said disk or over the bottom 17, will tend to crowd through the square or round bottom apertures with unequal densities, as that portion of the butter which overlies the imperforate parts of the bottom must iind an outlet, together with the butter directly over the apertures. Following the lines of least resistance the butter over the imperforate parts will crowd out on one side of each hole or aperture, thus compressing the cake or patty of butter nearest to the solid or imperforate sides, and when the molded butter forms emerge on the under side of the bottom the densest parts immediately eX- pand, producing patties thicker on one side than the other. To overcome this difliculty, I cut inclined grooves or channels in the imperforate portions of the bottom, leading and inclined to the exterior edge of the adjacent aperture, which serve to change the vertical lines of force and facilitate the flow of butter from the sides of the vessel toward the centers of the openings. The flow of butter from the sides is thus caused to counteract the freedom of flow in direct lines over the apertures, checking said flow and equalizing the density of each patty .at its opening.

In the drawings, 31 refers to the inclined grooves or channels as applied to the angular form of molding-apertures, (see Fig. 5,) while 32 refers to grooves or channels as applied to the round or curved form of apertures 33. (Best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.) It will be noted that in both instances these grooves or channels are located where there would otherwise be a flat surface resisting the pressure due to operation of the plunger, which have the effect of creating unequal densities in the same mass, and thereby causing irregularities in the form of the molded form which has been forced through each hole or aperture. 'Ihese grooves or channels eliminate iiat resisting-surfaces and insure sufficient time during operation of the machine to permit equalization of the lines of force through `each aperture, largely on account of a more gradual change in the direction of movement of portions of semifluid mass as its shape is changed under compression.

To guide the upper end of the plunger-rod 14, as well as to facilitate its easy insertion and removal, I have provided on the upper plate of the frame a trough-like groove or channel 36. (Shown sectioned in Fig. 2.) The upper plate has also a cut-away portion or aperture 37 extending from its edge and communicating with the groove or bearingchannel 36, which permits of the insertion of the disk 15 and rod 14 after the vessel 16 has been placed in position.

In operation the vessel 16 is iirst removed from the frame of the machine and charged with a suitable quantity of butter. The plunger is then inserted over the butter and the whole placed in the frame over the bot* tom ring 4, the upper side aperture 37 in the frame-plate 3 permitting the placing of rod 14 in its groove or bearing-channel 36 by simply tilting the weight 29 upwardly, which carries the point 12 of the pawl 11 out of the way of the rod 14. Each revolution of the crank 8 will force the disk 15 down upon the mass of butter one notch 13, and as the cam 9 is simultaneously rotated the butter patties forced out of the bottom holes will be severed by the curved arm 30 and drop into IOO IIO

sir/,352 v ra any receptacle provided therefor. The disk 15 substantially closes the vessel and protects the butter therein against dust. Where three holes are provided, as shown herein, three patties only may be made at a time, as required, or a larger quantity may be made, as desired. rant it is often desirable to make the patties only as needed in order that they may be fresh, and as it requires but one turn of the crank 8 to produce three of these patties the machine is capable of supplying fresh patties the orders are given, even during rush hours and obviates the necessity of making up large quantities at any time.

It is obvious that my device may be used for forming other material than butter, such as ice-cream and the like, that the forms of the bottom apertures may be varied considerably, and that the other details of my machine may be modified in a number of Ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, which I therefore do not wish to con- 'fine to the specific construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent.-

1. In a device of the class described a containing vessel, having in its bottom a plurality of apertures, means for exerting pressure axially of said apertures and means acting to direct the pressure in the upper portions thereof radially of the same at non-connected points :in their circumferences.

2. In a device of the class described a containing vessel having a plurality of cylindric molding-apertures in the bottom thereof and curved channels opening into the top of said apertures.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a containing vessel having an aperture at the bottom thereof, of means for exerting pressure in axial alinement with said aperture and a curved channel opening through the side of said aperture eccentrically thereof and adapted to direct a part of said pressure in a line at an angle with the axis of said aperture.

4. The combination with a receptacle, having apertures in the bottom thereof provided with outwardly and upwardly directed nonconnected channels adapted to deflect pressure in independent lines at angles to the axes of said apertures, a plunger-rod therein, a weighted detent adapted to engage said rod, cutting means beneath said receptacle and a cam adapted to operate said cuttinfr means.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a containing vessel having parallel sides of an apertured bottom therein, the sides of said aperture being parallel with the walls of the vessel, means for exerting pressure longitudinally of the vessel and means for deflecting a portion of said. pres- During slack -hours in a restausure in lines at an angle to the axes of said apertures, separated a distance from each other.

G. The combination with a containing vessel having cylindric apertures in the bottom thereof, of channels in the upper surface of said bottom opening into said apertures near the top thereof, said channels being directed to one side of the axes of said apertures, a plunger and means for operating said plunger to force material through said apertures.

7. The combination with a containing vessel having an apertured bottom of a frame adapted to support said vessel, a shaft journaled in said frame, a plunger in said vessel, detents carried on said shaft and adapted to operate said plunger, a cam on each end of said shaft and cutting means operated thereby.

8. The combination With a frame, of an apertured vessel thereon, a shaft journaled on said frame, a plunger in said vessel, a rod thereon provided with a plurality of notches and eccentric on said shaft, a detent thereon adapted to engage said rod, a cam on said shaft and cutting means on the bottom of said vessel operated thereby.

9. The combination vwith a frame, an apertured vessel removably engaged therein, a plunger in said vessel adapted to force material into said apertures, a drive-shaft journaled on said frame and eccentric thereon, a weighted detent operated by said eccentric and adapted to force plunger downwardly, a shaft carried on said frame, cutting means on the lower end thereof, a crank-arm on the upper end and a cam on said drive-shaft adapted to engage said crank-arm and operate said cutting means.

10. The combination of a containing vessel provided with molding apertures, a plunger within said vessel and provided with pawl-engaging means, a reciprocating pawl in operative relation to said plunger, a cutter movable across the lowerface of said bottom, and a grooved cam intermittently and alternately operating said pawl and cutter.

1l. The combination of an apertured containing vessel, a crank-shaft, a reciprocating Weighted pawl operated by an eccentric on said shaft, a plunger intermittently operated by said pawl, a laterally-bent cam mounted upon said shaft, and a cutter intermittently operated by said cam.

12. The combination of a containing vessel having an apertured bottom, imperforate portions of said bottom being channeled toward the exterior edge of an aperture, a plunger within said vessel and provided with. pawl-engaging means, a reciprocating pawl in operative relation to said plunger, a cutter movable across the lower face of said bottom, a shaft thereon extending above said vessel and a laterally-bent cam adapted to rotate said shaft alternately in opposite directions and operate said cutter.

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13. The combination of an apertured concutter on said last-named shaft adapted to Io taining Vessel, imperlorete portionsv of the I be intermittently operated by said cam.

apertured Wall inclining to the edge of an ap- In testimony whereof l hereunto set my erture, a crank-shaft, a reciprocating paWl hand in the presence of tWo Witnesses. operated by an eccentric on said shaft, a GUSTAV A VALSTEAD plunger intermittently operated by said y paWl, a cam mounted upon said shaft, a, shaft lVitnesses:

extending below said Vessel, a crunk-arm J. /V..BECKSTROM, thereon adapted to engage said cam, and a E. BERMAN. 

